Paper-cutting mechanism.



PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

W. S. TRUAX.

PAPER CUTTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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@wi/#weones PATENTED JULY 17, 1906.

W. S.. TRUAX.

PAPER CUTTING MBGHANISM.

APPLIATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1904.

3 SHEETS SHEET 2.

FIG. a

D @MT1/neogeo m f3 WMA PATBNTED JULY I7, 1906.'

W. S. TRUAX.

PAPER CUTTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.21. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.I llllll IJ FIG. 8.

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1 o VLM/Lewes UNITED STATES PATENT FFI,

vnLLiAM SIBLEYTRUAX, or CINCINNATI, oino.

PPERrCUT-TNG MECHNESW..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1'?, ieee.

T0 a/ZZ whom it may concern.' l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SIBLEY TRUAX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Cutting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to rovide mechanism for cutting a continuous s ieet or stripof paper into varying lengths, and especially adapted for use in conjunction with rotary letter-copying machines.

My invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a rotary copying-machine equipped with mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the saine with some parts removed; Figs. 3 and 4, elevations of opposite sides of the machine; Fig. 5, an enlarged section of the mechanism for controlling the operation of the cutter; Fig. 6, a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a rear elevation of Fig. 5; Fig. 8, a front view of Fig. 7 with parts removed, and Fig. 9 a front elevation of the piece for impaling the cut sections of paper.

The copying-machine is .of a well-known type and consists in general of a series of rolls A., B, and C, operated by a crank-arm D. A continuous sheet of copying-paper E is drawn from a roll e through and between rolls A, B, and C, from which it passes to a fianged roll F, driven by a belt f. Before entering between rolls A, B, and C the copying-paper E passes over a dampening-roll G, which being partially submerged in water contained in pan gsupplies moisture to the copying-paper. In use the letter or paper to be copied,'I-I, is passed between rolls B and C, where its matter is copied upon paper E. So much of the mechanism illustrated in the drawings is old and well known for the purpose and operates to deliverthe copyingpaper E in the form of a long continuous sheet upon which have been imprinted copies of the letters or papers passed through rolls B and C in successive order. Under the present practice this lcontinuous sheet must be cut or torn by hand to obtain the separate copies of the different letters. VThe primary object of my invention is to provide the above described copying machine or others similar thereto with mechanism for automatically severing and collecting the copies of the papers passed through the machine.

In carrying my improvement into effect I secure brackets I and I on each side of the frame of the machine and mount .a rotatable shaft K in said brackets. To shaft K is rigidly secured a knife or cutter'L, provided with teeth or serrations Z. A stationary knife or cutter M is secured to the machineframe :ust behind the path of the c'opyin paper Il] asl it is delivered from flan ed roiif in such manner as to coperate wit knife L to sever the copying-paper'on operation of the latter. stripper or guide provided with a slot n, through which the copying-paper passes in its downward course from roll F. Slots n render the position of stripper N adjustable. To assist the travel of the copying-paper E `and prevent bunching of the same, a second flanged roll O may be mounted in brackets I and I and driven by a belt 0. A spring P is provided to press or throw the knife L toward nife M, while a weaker spring Q is provided to.force said knives apart. In the path of the operative arm p of spring Pis mounted a stop R, which intercepts arm p after a-partial completion of the o erative throw of the knife and relieves the nife from the pressure of the spring, the momentum of knife L being relied upon to. carry it up to and slightly beyond knife M 'to sever the copyingpaper between the two knives. After the completion of the o erative stroke spring Q, being unresisted, wi l uickly throw the knife L back out of the pat ofthe copying-paper E, and thus permit its continuous feed. In order to increase the momentum of knife L, it may be weighted by a bar Z.

It will be observed that stripper N is set to bring the inner edge of slot n a little outside of the vertical plane of the knife M, so that when the 'copying paper is carried rearwardly to be severed it is bent at a sharp angle, which introduces a tension tending to draw the severed end away from knife M. Should the severed end of the copying-paper cling to knife L, the outer edge of the slot n strips it clear as the knife passes outwardly and leaves the copying-paper free to feed downwardly between the two knives. Behind knife M is secured a'plate S, provided with impaling-pins s, and knife L is provided with springs Z2, perforated at Z3 to pass over pins s. Openings Z4 in knife L and bar Z 7o 0n to of knife M is secured a p TOOv register' with openings Z3 and are adapted to pass over the points o'f pins s and impale the severed sheet of copying aper thereon. Upon withdrawal of the knifl; the sprin s Z2 hold the severed sheet on the pins ong enough to -prevent the suction of the lmife from withdrawing said sheets.- Theplate S is preferably secured inposition by means of T -shaped lugs s', which engage suitable notches s2'in said plate, so as to permit the ready removal of the "plate, to facilitate which the bracket I is arched, as shown.

Atone side shaftv K is 'prolonged and`has secured thereto a crank-arm k, to which a coupling-rod k is pivoted. The free end of rod c carries a pin k2, adapted -to enga e notches in a toothed wheel T, which is rigid y attached to the end of shaft l), upon which roll-B 'is mounted. A spring 7c3 is provided for pressing arm c upwardly. Surrounding wheel T is a cam U, which closely approaches the wheel on side fu. and recedes therefrom on side u far enough to permit the passage of pin k2 around that portion of wheel T without engagement lwith the teeth. Behind wheel T is a stationary cam-plate V, shaped on concentric lines with cam U, so that the portion v is within the teeth and permits engagement of pin k2 with the teeth on that side, while portion 'v' is slightly beyond the teeth and prevents engagement with the teeth on that side. The outer and inner surfaces of cam U and cam-plate V are joined, respectively, by inclined surfaces u2 v2 at the top and us v3 near the bottom, the effect of which is to facilitate the passage of pin k2. The eect of this mechanism is that when pin k2 is traveling in a recess in wheel T between ortions/z/J and rv of the cam U and camplate it is held in engagement with Wheel T by cam U. vWhen the pin reaches the inclined surface v3 on cam-plate V, it is forced out of engagement withwheel T and is free to travel freely around wheel` T until it reaches inclined surface u2, where it is again forced into engagement with wheel T. It will be observed that when pin k2 is in its engagement with wheel T forward rotation of shaft4 b throws the knife L back to operative position and that when said pin is forced out of engagement with wheel T by inclined surface 'v3 the knife is free'to make its operative stroke unless otherwise restrained. The knife L is so set with relation to pin lf2 that when the pin has reached its limit of movement away from shaft K the knife L is a little beyond the knife M, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1..

Behind cam-plate V is mounted a non-rovtatable casing W, 'in which is inclosed a grooved wheel X, loosely mounted on shaft At one side wheel X is recessed to contain a ratphet-wheel which is rigidly attached to shaft b and serves to drive wheel X in one direction by means of pawl ,A channel Y, v

eefaeee adapted to contain a series of balls y, communicates with thc interior of casing W at the extreme top through opening y and passing downwardly andv around the casing again communicates with the interior thereof at a lower level on one side through opening y2. A partition w is mounted in casing W around Wheel X. Partition w is provided with an inclined end w', ada ted to direct aball carried in a groove in whee X to the outside portion of the groove, where the ball is held bythe main portion of the partition until the ball reaches the top of the casing, where the partition is again inclined at w2 to force the ball out into channel through opening 'y'. Should the shaft b be reversed for any reason, the pawl rides idly over ratchet and wheel T stops, so that a ball on wheel T cannot be carried backwardly and break the inclined end w of partition w. Above channel Y is mounted a rotatable shaft Z, which passes across the frame of the machine above the table z, upon.

which the letter cr paper H rests as it approaches and passes between rolls B and C. The shaft Z is provided with two stop-arms e an'd z2, arranged at an angle to each other at a distance apart about equalto the diameter of one of the balls y, and channel Y is provided with corresponding slots, through which the stop-arms e and z2 may swing to alter nately stop the channel against the passage of a ball. A rider-lever z3 is rigidly attached to shaft Z in such position as to normally lie in the path of paper H, where it is yieldingly held'by a spring e4 on shaft Z. The relation between rider z3 and stop-arms e and-'22 is such that when the rider is swung upwardly by the passage of the'forward edge of paper H under it stop zswings outwardly to unobstruct pipe Y, and thus release the ball held by it, while stop z2 swings inwardly to obstruct the channel and intercept the released ball: As long as ridere3 ridesvon paper H the ball will be held. by stop 22, but when the paper passes from under the rider the spring 24 reverses the rotation of shaft Z, causing stop z2 to swing outwardly to release its ball and stop 2 to swing inwardlyV to intercept the next ball, when this mechanism is in its original position and ready for a repetition of the above action. Thus it will be seen that as each paper passes between the rolls B and C a ball will be released into a groove in wheel X at the time the end of that paper passes from under the rider z3. In order to reinforce ,the rear end of'paper H' 'against bending downwardly to release the rider prematurely, a pivoted table z5, with arms e6 on either side of the rider, maybe mounted under the path of paper H and so weighted as to cause suiiicient upward pressure on the paper H to overcome the downward pressure of the rider.

CasingWis slotted atv w3 to receive the nose of a trip-arm w, which is normally held with its nose in slot w3 inthe path of a ball carried IOO the position of knife M is such that by the time a ball released by the passage of the rear end of a paper H has been carried around by wheel X to contact with the nose of trip-arm Q04 the portion of copying-paperu passing-through the rolls near or under the rear end of the paper H has traveled to a position in front of knife M. -Thus the ball contacting with the-nose of trip-arm w* presses the latter outwardly to withdraw catch w and release catch 7164. This releases shaft K, and consequently knife L, and the co yingpaper is severed ona line at or near tile line corresponding to the rear end of the corre:

, sponding paper H and impaled upon pins s on plate S. Upon the release of knife L, as

above described, the pin k2 is free to travel varound wheel T as the knife L makes its operative stroke. When the limit of the operative movement of knife L is reached and said knife flies back under the influence of spring Q, the upward pressure of spring k3, in con; junction with the backward pressure of sprin Q, causes the pin k2 to continue its trave around wheel T until inclined surface u2 is reached, where the pin is forced into engagement with wheel T and knife L automatically thrown back and set for another operation. After serving to trip arm w, and thus operateV knife L, the ball 'y travels upwardly in its groove in wheel X until the inclined end w2 of partition wis encountered and the ball forced out into channel Y to be ready for another operation; ATwo 'or more balls y are preferably employed, 4since in, copying short papers or letters' it' might happen that before one ball has performed its function and returned to the channel it would ybe necessary to start another'balxinto wheel X in order to operate knife L at the proper time.

While I haveillustrated and described the preferred formpf application of my invention,

this is capable of variation without de arting from the spirit of my invention.' I t erefore do not'wish to be confined to the form of construction'illustrated in the drawings nor to the application offrny invention to any particular machine; but

What l claim 'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination with a machine adapted to feed paper in a continuous sheet, and in single sheets, of'a cutter adapted to sever the continuous sheet; mechanism for operating the cutter; -`mechanism adapted to be set in motion by the single sheets, and an operative connection between the paper-operated mechanism and the cutter-operating mechanism, substantially as specified.

2, The combination with a machine adapte'd to feed paper in a continuoussheet, an in single sheets, of a cutter adapted to sever the continuous-sheet mechanism `for operating the cutter; a rider adapted to ride on the single sheets'and to be released by the passa e of the same; and a connection between t e rider and the cutter-o erating mechanism whereby the release of tlie rider operates the cutter, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a copying-machine of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper; mechanism for o erating the `cutter; mechanism adapted to e set in motion by the paper being,v copied; and an operative connection between the paper operated mechanism andthe cutter-operating mechanism, substantially as specified. f

4. The combination with a copying-macliine of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper; mechanism for operating the cut-' arm and the cutter-operating mechanism whereby the cutter is caused to operate by the passage of the paper through the machine, substantially as specied.

6. The combination'with a rotary copyingmachine of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper; mechanism for returning the cutter to its original position; and automatic mechanism for actuating the cutter-operating and returning mechanism, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a rotary copyingmachine of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper mechanism for operating the cutter.; mechanismfor-returning the cutter to its original position; and mechanism adapted to be set in motion by the paper being copied and actuate the cutter-operating and returning mechanism, substantially as specified.

-8. The combination with a rotary copyingmachine, of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper; a spring adapted to force the cutter through its operative stroke; mechanism for returning the cutter to operative po- IIO sition and tripping mechanism for releasing the cutter to make its operative stroke, substantially as specified.

9. The combination with a rotary copyingmachine, of a cutter ada ted to sever .the copying-paper; a spring a aptedto forcev the cutter through its operative stroke; mechanism' for returning the cutter to operative position; tripping mechanism for releasing-the cutter to make its operative stroke; an automatic mechanism for operating the tripping mechanism, substantiallyas specified.

10. The combination with a rotarycopying machine, of a cutterA adapted to severthe copying-paper; a spring adapted to force the cutter through its operative stroke; mechanism for returning the cutter to operative position; tripping mechanism for releasing the cutter to make its operative stroke; and a rider adapted to ride on the paper being copied and to operate the tripping mechanism when released by the assage of said paper, substantially as specied.

11. The combinationwith a rotary copying-machine, of a cutter adapted to sever the copying-paper; a spring-adapted to force the cutter through its operative stroke; mechanism for returning the cutter to operative position; tripping mechanism for releasing the cutter to make its operative stroke; a leverarm mounted in the path of the paper being copied; and an'operative connection between vsaid lever-arm and said tripping mechanism,

substantially as specified. i

12. The combination with a copying-machine, of a vmovable and a stationary cutter mounted on opposite sides-of the path of the copying-paper; a spring adaptedto force the cutter through its operative stroke; mechanism for returning the cutter tofoperative position; trippin mechanism for releasing the cutter to ma e its operative stroke; a rider adapted to ride upon the paper being copied and to operate the tripping mechanism when released by the passage of said paper;rand a stripper mounted above the stationaryl cutter and provided with a slot through which the copying-paper'feeds to the cutters, substantially as specified.

13. The combination with a copying-machine of a cutter adapted to sever the copy- 'ing-paper;- a spring adapted to force the cutter 'through its operative 'strokeya spring tending to force the cutter through its -inoperative stroke; mechanism' for assisting said latter spring in'returning the cutter to operative position; tripping mechanism for releasing thecutter to make its operative stroke; and a rider adapted to ride on the `paper being copied and toop'erate the trip'- ping mechanism when released by the passage of said paper, substantially as specified.

14. The combination With a copying-machine, of a cutter adapted tosever the copying-paper; a spring adapted to force the cutseaese ter through its operative stroke 5 a stop adapted to intercept the operation of said spring after a partial completion of the stroke of the cutter; .a spring tending to force the cutter through its inoperative stroke; mechanism for assisting said latter spring' in returning the cutter to o erative position; tripping mechanismfor re easing the cutter to make its operative stroke; andra rider adapted to ride on the paper-being 4copied 'adapted to release the ball into a groove of the Wheel; means for operating the stop adapted to be set in motion by the passage of the paper to'be copied through the machine; and tripping mechanism, for operating the cutter, mounted in the vpath-of a ball carried by-a groove inthe wheel, substantially as specified.

16.1 The lcombination With rolls A., Band C of a rotary copying-machine, oiH a cutter adapted to sever the ce yin paper; a groovedwheel mounted-ons aft of roll B; a channel communicatingWith said Wheel at a higher and a lower level; a ball in said channel adapted to travel inthe grooves of said wheel, `means for forcing .a ball out of a groove in said Wheel intosaid channel at the higher level; Ia stop adapted to release the ball into a groove of the wheel; means for'operating the stop adapted to beset in motion by the passage of the paperv to be copied through the machine; and tripping mechanism, for operating the cutter, mounted in the path of aball carried by a groove in lthe-wheel, substantially as specified.

17. ri`he combination in paper-cutting mechanism of a cutter; a grooved wheel; a channel communicatingwith saidwheel at a hi her and a lower level; a ball-in said channe adapted to travel in the-grooves of said wheel; means for forcing a ball out of a groove in said wheel into said channel at the higher level; means for releasing the ball into a.

IOO

IIJ

to engage pin k2; cam U and cam-plate V for forcing pin k2 into and out of engagement with Wheel T; and means for rotating Wheel T, substantially as specified.

19. The combination of a cutter; a spring adapted to force the cutter through its operative stroke; a stop adapted to interce t the operation of said spring after a parta completion of the stroke of the cutter; aweaker spring tending to force the cutter through its ino erative stroke; a coupling-rod k adapte to returngthe knife through its inoperative stroke and carrying a pin k2; a

toothed Wheel T adapted to engage pin k2;

cam .U land cam-plate V for forcing pm k2 into and out of engagementwith Wheel T;

and means "for rotating Wheel T, 'substantially as specified.

20. The combination in paper-cuttin mechanism of a spring-actuated cutter; a ro k for operating the cutter; pin k2 on rod c; toothed Wheel T; cam U and cam-plate V; casing WV containing grooved Wheel X; partition w; catches k* and rw for setting the knife; trip-arm w* having its nose entering slot w3 in `casing w; channel Y containin balls y; shaft Z carrying stops z and z2, an means for operating shaft Z to release a ball y into' a groove of Wheel X, substantially as specified.

2l. The combination With rolls A, B and C of a rotary co ying-machine, of knives L and M; a rod c or o erating theknife L; -a

pin k2 on rod c; a toot ed wheel T on shaft b,"

cam U and cam-plate V; casing W containing grooved wheel X mounted on shaft b; parti-A tion w; catches 7c'i and w fonsetting the knife L; trip-arm w4 having its nose entering slot w3 in casing w; channel Y containin balls y; shaft Z carrying stops z and z2; and rider z3 fori operating shaft Z, substantially as speci- 22. The combination with rolls A, B and C of a rotary co ying-machine, of knives L and M; a rod 7c oroperating the knife L; a pin k2 on rod k; a toothed wheel T on shaft b; cam U and vcam-plate V; casing W containing grooved Wheel X mounted on shaft b; partition fw; catches k* and w for setting the knife L; trip-arm w* having its nose entering slot rw3 in casing w; channel Y- containin balls y; shaft Z carrying stops z and z2; ri er z3 for operating shaft Z, and table z5 for supporting the paper to be copied from below, ysubstan'- e tially as specified. 23S The combination iu paper-cutting mechanism of .a movable cutter adapted to sever the paper;- one or more impaling-pins set in the path of the cutter; an impalingpiece carried by said cutter and perforated to pass over the points of said pins; yielding plates having perforations registering with the perforations in the impaling-piece and set to precede said impaling-piece; and means for actuating the cutter, substantially as specified.

24. The combination With rolls A, B and C of a rotary copying-machine,` of knives L and M; impaling-pins s; springs Z2 on knife L; a rod c for operating the knife L; a pin kl on rod k7; a toothed wheel T on shaft l); cani U and cam-plate V; casing W containing grooved wheel Xmounted on shaft b; partition w; catches lc* and w for setting the knife L; trip-arm w4 having its nose entering slot w3 in casing w; channel Y containing balls y; 

